The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-18
GEORGE y, CHILDS' GIFT.
DEDICATION pF THE MEMORIAL
sHAKssrFAR FOUNTAIN.



G. w. Childs, Of Philadelphia, to Stanford
on-Avon, passed oil under the brightest
auspices. Ncvdr has the old town cele-
DRAFTED a festive occasion with more enthu-
siasm or presented itself under better as
poets. The weather was pleasant. The
last afterglow of summer sullused the an
tique tenements with soltcncd light and
the streets were radiant with bunting drap-
ing the ancient frOntagrs and suspended in
icstoons along the caves. No general Holt
day had been proclaimed by the authori-
ties, but the %towniolk, OF their own
prompting, made holiday. The may
or, Sir Arthur lIolgsOn, had sug-
gestcd n partial suspension OF business
during the ceremonial, but the event quite
stirred the pulses oi the people, and the
day became n general jubilee. Public in
tcrcst was much more than local. Visit
ors from London, Birmingham and other
populous centcrs were attracted, and con
tributcd TO give Stmtiord one OF the liveli-
est days in its annals. Among the dis
tinguished visitors were United States
Minister Phelps, Mr.. Henry Irving and
Sir Theodore Martin, who arrived Sun
day. Mr.. Phelps left lnycrary castle
Saturday, coming south especially for the
occasion. lie was a guest Of the mayor.
Mr.. Irving, who finished his provincial
tour in Liverpool Saturday night, arrived
on a special train Sunday, and became n
guest Of Councillor Flower. Lord Ronald
Gowes. Lord Delaware, Sir Theodore
Martin, Sir Philip CunliiIc Owen and the
mayors OF Worcester, Lichfield, Coventry,
Warwick and Lexington were among the
guests OF the corporation. At moo all
these, with many other visitors, had as
scmblcd at the town hall, whence the
mayor and the members Of the corpora
ton, all attircd in their official robes,
marched In procession 10 the site Of the
memorial. Here there had long been as
scmblcd u throng OF tOwnsfolk and stran-
gers who admired the graceful proportions
Of the fine structure which now associates
the name Of Mr.. Childs with S~tratiord-on-
Avon. The crowd wa cleared back by n
guard Of the local volunteer corps, aud a
square wns formed, within which the cerc-
mony was proceeded with. A large
marquee had been erected as a ~prtuuiion
against inclcmeft Weather, but IL was de.
serted for the space around the fountain.
The mayor opened the proceedings. lie
referred Ia the rcgrctablc absence Of Mr..
james Russell lowell. lie had, however,
received
ALrTrhL rf,oM Mr.. LOWELL,
which would go home Ia the hearts OF all
who heard II and Of many morc who would
read il. The letter said:
should mon dccJ1y rcgrct my inability 10 b.
prrn'nt nt the interesting ceremonial Of the 18th,
Wcv II not that my rbuntnmcn viii hc mOp ftly
and. adequately represented there by their accom-
pllshci minister. Nj Phelps.
The ucrnsiun u certainly n most Interesting one.
The monument WHICH you ncccpt today Ia behalf
NJ your tnWnsmcn ut once the most
marvellous Of Englshnicn and the jubilee lcar 81
the august lady whr~r name II hnuuH-d wherever
the lHuglhgc J. spoken NJ which he WIS the gnrat
81 master. No sytnlBl sssild morc npily @fryu thi,
double purpn-c than n fountain, Tor surely. n,
poet ever ppund forth ~ hruad q river uf sperrh ~
be-, whether De- was the author ~ the 'Nuvum Or
canon ulap ur not. Nor could the purity II hel
%Chhmricr sui cNnmple b. hsitcr Bpihci than b,
the curr'nt that thlll How forever irpm the suurts
ulFncd thtfc to-day. lthctaI n wus Washington
Irving who mt embodied In hls delightful English
the emotion witch Simtipui zoo. AVON nwakrus ln
the heart ui The pllgfim. aud ESPECIALLY uf the
American uilgrm' Who vsitit lam rlad 10 thlnk
that this memorial should D. the pif Ut an Amer
Il IlNlf NIfN NNNH HftNN ~ NIMIN NNN ANiINNNl NIMHI N
the two gr,ut nations. joint hcin Ut the same mobile
language uul ul The Ecuius that has given
. cosmopolitan significance. 1 ana glad
oi a. hvclurc n Il one ~ the multiplying
tlgns that ihnar tvn nations arr beginning To- mini
MON and mufp ul The things loo which they symta
thlsc and les and les of ihu1c Ia which the,
dinrr Ithrrr.l \ Cnmmon Language T. not In
duCi The sub.t bond NJ nmity. fur this enable.
each country 10 understand whatever unpleasant
thinr the other may chance Ia NY nhuut H. A.
am one uf thosc who hyliHyv TINT on honest friend
shlp between England nnd Amyficn b. o. most De-
Eiullv ulur, I trust ihnt ~ shall on huth side.
thiuk 70 cu, il1 desirable he our Intercourse On,
tongue araph her clr,r Mound iur IN,
polished mthcT than The ,htIpcomcrNd cplthcp
shc ha ,ioud thew ~ ~ on mcnus sp,ak
cHn speak % IN either ~ us with such o. imirrtI
Instinct iur the weak point Ui tlr other Int ltt u.
90 70 in such wi-r a. - show Tint Del the truth ",
ncins oiit tories n .hrar, hcafL tct ~ "a,
uguvuhIr Thug to clch uihyT whichever We con
sgicntigusly emu. Ny ir'nd, Mr Child.. has said
one ui thusc agnvuhlc hiugs iu n Ncn
plid AMI durable way. 4 common
itrmturc nni c1mmon p-pyt fui
ppfthlu qualities Of chnmriyf and ways ~ thinLin.
supply v n,utml ground, whyfr We may meet In tht
u.sirnrr that We shall nud -imcthinr amlahlc hi
cl'h other aud irum hclng lrs than Kind tsruin,
With outlined british pps-IUn, In america ln
,udrd tho rrHatvr uaft ui what b. now territory u
the United Nntr4 The tHftaa.uus uf the Amer.
can IN Lngland are laid down on uo map yet Do
holds them in memory aud imagination h,
r. title such o. no conquest ever established and
un revolution can ever overthrow. Thydu.f thut t.
Shakespeare makes walk lsluw u. In lcsh nrd
hlHal aW bic nn les uhau ,uUu. These mn tht
tics which W. r~rrngnitc, anil Hw glad O, p~yrg.l. ire.
en- u.asluus ike this, Tho will be- yearly drawn
tln-rr o.. scicncr gocs On with hgr WORK ct abolish
lng time nul, slgcg and CIV, rgndcg mor ca}
that peaceful cnmmcfto iWlN dlNliahlD shuuS
which l. 80 un,vut ~ clear away whatever q ~
elusive in nationality W atuu IT harialttm lu
patriotism. ! remain dear No. Nnvur faithfully
yuuu, J. o. iuwTlL
Enthusiastic cheers w,rr given when IN,
mayor finished reading Mr.. I0wcll's
letter.
Tho poet Whittier hal also written d
cougutulatory letter Ia Mr.. Childs. IN
which lac said that the git during N,
present year was q happy Thought, M con.
ncctcd with the Queens jubilee, and
would 20 ir toward n]iuuiug ior foolish
uttcnnccs about England coming imm
some American citizens This portion OF
the letter was received with cries OF Hear.
hear
looking at the memorial, " continue.
the mayor, everybody must aCknowlrdr,
that Il II "a handsomo STRUCTURE. The man.
ncr In which the gh was bestowed make,
IL acceptance n genuine pleasure. Mr..
Childs, in numerous lriivw o. me. ~.
pcntcdly said that no EXPENSES should be-
spared. Money Is no object he said. 4
wish To present u gift Ia shakespeare,
town worthy Ut hhgnat name Through.
out. also. these Ictier showed q spirit OF
affection ior old England. The memorial
proves the truth lofithc old saving that
blood is thickcn, ilSn water IL proves
that Americans are proud oi our common
heritage [ChccH.l
In conclusion the mayor UiCrrcd To the
assistance rendered by ". V. MncAuicy.
who rrnr,scnted Mr.. Childs In ~arrlnp,n,